THE battered body of a British man has been found rotting in a plastic bag at the side of a road in India.

Police in Delhi named the victim as 40-year-old Andrew Rodick.

Locals in the city’s Bhogal district had called in police because of the foul smell from the bag.

Detectives started a murder hunt after the horrific discovery outside a shop on Sunday.

An officer said: “The hands and feet of the deceased were tied.

“His face, arms and head had visible injury marks.”

Officers are trying to work out where Andrew had been staying.

He was identified using a passport found by police.

One detective said: “We are checking guest-houses and hotels in the area.

“Given the state of the dead body, we feel that the murder took place around three days ago.

“It appears that he was hit in the head with a heavy and blunt object. His body was then stuffed into the plastic bag. It also appears that he was stubbed by a cigarette or his skin burnt with a lighter.”

One local said: “A foul smell was emanating from the bag. Initially, we thought it was a dead animal.

“But someone suggested we call police. When police came, we found that it was a human body.”

The body has been sent for a post mortem.

Andrew lived in a hostel in Winchester, Hampshire, before heading to India. He was fined £220 for possessing crack and heroin last year.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are in touch with the Indian authorities and are providing consular assistance to the family.”